Design & Build Quality
The Alpha 7R V features a similar button layout and grips sizes as the outgoing model to keep it familiar and easy to use. The materials have certainly been upgraded to offer better wear resistance and comfort during long hours of shooting. It also offers proper weather sealing, including on the new 4-axis multi-angle LCD monitor, which offers much more flexibility when it comes to shooting angles. The new display features a fingerprint resistance coating and can even be optioned with PCK-LG3 Screen Protect Glass Sheet. The electronic viewfinder itself has a pretty high resolution of up to 9.44 million dots.
Based on feedback from professionals, the Alpha 7R V also adds improved heat dissipation for extended recording times, upgraded dust and moisture-resistant design, a durable magnesium alloy chassis, and other refinements for maximum reliability in challenging working environments.
Connectivity
When it comes to connectivity, you get lots of hardware and software solutions, including but not limited to two CFexpress Type A/SDXC compatible media slots, a wired SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps connection via a USB-C port, and the usual WIFI and Bluetooth options. You can not only transfer data via these connections at high speeds but also stream up to 4K footage with audio, thanks to support for UVC/UAC.
AI Processing Unit
The Alpha 7R V gets a new Real-time Recognition AF system, which uses an AI processing unit to advance accuracy and broader subject recognition. The AI is trained on all sorts of images and videos about the human form and poses, so it can accurately estimate the ongoing subject and scene for exceptional recognition accuracy. This system can work will all types of subjects, including animals, insects, and even inanimate objects and vehicles.
Thanks to this new algorithm, the 7R V can sustain continuous shooting at up to 10 fps with AF/AE tracking. This tracking is maintained over a wider area, with faster and more precise targeting and full-time DMF and focus bracketing. You can even go for two separate but equally important shooting modes. One lets you go silent and completely vibration-free for up to 7 fps, while the other maintains regular, continuous shooting but for up to 583 compressed RAW images.
Sensor
The Alpha 7R V utilizes the latest 61MP Exmor R CMOS sensor, which offers a 35mm full-frame back-illuminated design. This can be paired with a wide range of Alpha series lenses and other third-party options. The sensor works in sync with the abovementioned AI tracking system, as well as the company’s own BIONZ XR image processing engine. This enables sensitivity settings from ISO 100 to ISO 32000 for both stills and movies and a wide dynamic range with 15 stops for stills.
Image Stabilisation
The Alpha 7R V also gets a full-range 8-step OIS setup that uses a high-precision image stabilisation unit, advanced gyro sensors, and optimised image stabilisation algorithms for properly supported shooting, whether it comes to stills or video. A new AI algorithm brings the accuracy of this system right down to the single-pixel level, which lets you take full advantage of the large 61MP resolution.
To take advantage of the hardware upgrade, you also get a new Pixel Shift Multi Shooting mode, which captures multiple pixel-shifted images that are later composited together for better resolution in a final image. The Alpha 7R V also supports precise external flash control while, at the same time, suppressing the flickering from artificial lights.
Video Upgrades
Thanks to the new hardware and software, the Alpha 7R V can now shoot up to 8K footage at up to 24/25p video. Even the 4K video is oversampled from 6.2K so that you can get the full resolution without the need for binning. The footage shot takes advantage of the improved subject recognition for real-time tracking, breathing compensation and further stabilisation in post-production, using the camera metadata.
Availability
The new Alpha 7R V will be available in selected countries in the Middle East from November 2022. To check the price, visit the Sony website or official retailers.
